ISLAMABAD: A fire broke out in the nursery of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad on Wednesday, triggering an emergency response and rescue operation.
According to initial reports, several newborn babies were killed in the incident, with different figures emerging from hospital and rescue sources. Some reports put the death toll at 14, while hospital sources initially said that 16 newborns were present in the nursery at the time of the fire.
Rescue sources said the fire reportedly started after an air-conditioning compressor exploded in the nursery. Rescue teams rushed to the scene and launched efforts to extinguish the blaze and evacuate patients and staff.
According to hospital sources, a lady doctor managed to rescue one newborn baby from the affected nursery.
The fire was later brought under control, while cooling operations continued at the site.
Rescue officials said that 25 people, including women, were safely evacuated from the gynaecology ward during the emergency.
Chief Commissioner Islamabad Sohail Ashraf and Islamabad Inspector General Ali Nasir Rizvi visited PIMS and reviewed the rescue and relief operations. The IG briefed the chief commissioner on the ongoing emergency response and the measures taken to ensure the safety of patients and hospital staff.
Authorities are expected to conduct an investigation to determine the exact cause of the fire and confirm the final number of casualties.
Leave a Reply